In 2010, I returned to Christ and his church after having lived an active gay lifestyle for over 12 years (starting in High School). Since then I have experienced major healing and significant reduction in same-sex-attraction through Prayer, Daily Mass, Reparative Therapy, and emotional healing. Every aspect of my life is better and improving every day. I am also glad to be part of a great new ministry called Joel 2:25 http://www.Joel225.org

Thursday, January 15, 2015

There has been a lot going on this week. Tonight, I found a lot of comfort in the prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Monday, January 28, 2013

I
haven't seen a live performance of the musical so I can't compare it
directly, but I love the book! Victor Hugo's epic is filled with demonstrations of Christ's transformational grace and this new film carried it well. I saw
it a few weeks ago and started weeping at the end. It's absolutely
amazing :)This is one of my favorite paragraphs in the book (after Jean Valjean is dragged in my by the police and the Bishop gives him MORE than he originally stole)

“'Do not forget, do not ever forget, that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man.'Valjean,
who did not recall having made any promise, was silent. The bishop had
spoken the words slowly and deliberately. He concluded with a solemn
emphasis:

'Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to what
is evil but to what is good. I have bought your soul to save it from
black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.'”

I'm not half the man that Jean Valjean became, but I've experienced the transformational power of Christ's grace. He has transformed my life in the same radical way. I can also relate to having someone follow you around singing ♫♫"Men like you can never change!" ♫♫ ;)Pax Christi,Jeremy

P.S.: Here are some other great quotes from the book:

"The pupil dilates in darkness and in the end finds light, just as the soul dilates in misfortune and in the end finds God.”
“...But listen, there will be more joy in heaven over the tears of a
repentant sinner than over the white robes of a hundred just men.” “Not seeing people permits us to imagine them with every perfection.”
“For there are many great deeds done in the small struggles of life.”
“God knows better than we do what we need.” “He who despairs is wrong.” “We need those who pray constantly to compensate for those who do not pray at all.” “There are things stronger than the strongest man...”“...Man lives by affirmation even more than he does by bread.”
“The delight we inspire in others has this enchanting peculiarity that,
far from being diminished like every other reflection, it returns to us
more radiant than ever.”
“To destroy abuses is not enough; Habits must also be changed. The windmill has gone, but the wind is still there." - old man G--- to Monseigneur Bienvenu Myriel